Agricultural implement.



F. J. FOWLER.

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT.

7 APPLICATION FILED APR. 15. 1914.

anwmtoz FRED J FOWLER.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. J. FOWLER.

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15. 1914.

1 ,1 52,086. Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

O 1 O l 5 5/ 1 fly Swwnatoz FRED Jv FOWLER.

. arranged whereby EE -STATE PATENTQEFICE.

' FRED J. rowmn, or 30 GEORGIA.

' AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT.

To all whom it may whom; I l H t Be it known that I, F RED J. FOWL R,c1t1- zen of the United States, residing at Rome,

in the county of Floyd and StateofGeorgia, have inventedcertain new anduseful Improvements inAgricultural Implements, of whichthe following isa specification, reference being had to the accompanying draw- Thisinvention relates to agricultural implements and particularly to animplement for gathering stones upon the field and has for its primaryobject the provision of a portable, and preferably wheeled frameprovided with a collecting mechanism including a series ofsyieldable orresilienttines carried by a common rockingmember and the member may beeffectually tilted to effect different positions of the effectivesurface engaging endsof the tines with the soil.

A further object of, the invention is to so construct the tinesupporting means that the tines may be readily disengaged therefrom orreadily applied thereto and when in engagement are held firmly in place,the means for spacing the tines from each other also serving as meansfor holding the tines locked.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a spacingmeans which, while serving to properly separate the tines from eachother will also permit the tines to have free vertical play.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is atop plan view of the machine; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectiontherethrough; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the tiltingmember. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the rocking head; Fig. 5 is a sectionalperspective view of a portion of the head and one of the trailing tines;Fig. 6 is a sectional perspective view of the retainer and spacingmember.

The machine consists of a wheeled axle 1, the wheels 2 thereof beingdesigned to freely revolve on the axle and as illustrated, said axle isconnected witha suitable draft frame 3. This frame may be of anysuitable well known design and a further detail description thereof willnot be necessary to a proper understanding of the collecting mechanism.

'minal collars 5 Specification of Letters Patent. -Patented Aug. 31,19.1.5. Application filed hprilfi. Ser ia1No.832,046-. i. v

V Y At this time, is desired thatit beundei stood that the mechanismfor, the actual collection of the stones or objects upon the fieldis notonly constructed for the purpose a of effecting a ,proper application ofthe ef fective collecting ends of the tines with the frame such as theone previously referred to.

The collecting mechanism consists of a head- 4 provided with bracketscarrying terthroughawhich the axle 1 loosely extends. This head has alength whereby its ends lie adjacent to the supporting wheels 2 landbetween the :ends and formed in one surface of the head are shortsubstantially rectangular seats 6, which receive like-shapedliigs?carried by theinner end of the collecting tines 8' disposedat Thesetines are suitright angles thereto.

ably curved andare possessed of the proper resiliency to permit of theirengaging the surface of the soil yieldably. It is essential thatthetines be disposed in parallel spaced relation to each other and to thehead, and the arrangement of the recesses 6 will in a measure, securethe result, but as will be obvious additional means must be provided tohold the intermediate portions of the tines positively spaced from eachother, and also to secure the effective retention of the tines againstaccidental disconnection from the head. This part of the apparatusconsists of a one-piece rectangular frame embodying a tine spacing bar 9provided with transversely disposed tine receiving slots 10 of a lengthto permit a limited yielding movement of the tines, a time locking bar12 provided. with slots '13 of approximately the same size as thetransverse area of the tines, and with openings to receive bolts 14 bywhich it is clamped to the head, and two end barsll, the bars 9 and 12being disposed obliquely to the bars 11 and parallel with each other. 1

While the bar 9 is described primarily as a spacer, it is to be notedthat it performs another function namely that of a deflector upon whichthe stones will come in contact and finally free themselves from betweenad jacent tines, during the collecting operation. Such arrangement ofthebar is important as it will prevent the stones from becoming undulybound between the teeth as will be understood. r

In order that the collecting mechanism may be tilted, torespectivelymovethe,tines to active and inactive positions, I providecontrolling means consisting ofa link that carries two laterallyprojecting arms 15, the ends of which are secured in eyes 16, carriedby,the upper ends of a pair of brackets 1 6 projecting forwardlyfrom'the head' and spaced some distance from the collars 5. Thecouterend of'the link is secured at 17 ,toa rocking lever 18; mounted upon theframe 3 and it is provided with a locking dog 19 which is adapted'tocoact with a rack segment 20 mounted upon the frame 8 and designed topositively hold the tilting head 43 in any desired position.

VVhen leaving afield, the lever 18 "may be rocked so asto swing thecollecting mechanism to a position where the free ends of the cg ie's ofthis patent may be obtained m is claimed is: I

In an apparatus of the character described, a supporting frame, an axlecarried thereby and supporting wheels, a transversely extending headmounted upon the axle for movement therearound, the rear face of saidhead having a plurality of vertically elongated recesses, a plurality'of tines, each tine having at its butt end an angularly disposedvertical lug having a size the same as the size of said recess andfitting entirely therein,'a rectangular frame comprising parallelsidebars, one of said side bars being formed with a plurality ofopenings equal in number to the tines, each of said openings having anarea equal to the cross sectional area of the tine shank, said barfitting against the face of the head, the other bar having a pluralityof vertically disposed slits through which the tines pass.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses. FRED J. FOWLER. Witnesses: I V I y f M. S. LANIER, WVA EG. How.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,I). C.

